The XV of Clover has long been jostled by Scotland, Sunday, at Murrayfield, but found the resources to win (22-7).
Four games, four wins, three offensive bonuses. Ireland continued their (almost) full card on Sunday March 12 to win at Murrayfield (22-7) on the fourth day of the Six Nations Tournament. Scotland tied for an hour but finally gave in, like all of Ireland’s opponents for ten games. The selection of Andy Farrell, however, lost four major players, out injured.
The Clover XV is taking another step towards a possible Grand Slam, which it has not achieved since 2018. The teammates of Johnny Sexton, who equaled the historic record of his compatriot Ronan O’Gara (557 points scored in career in the Tournament), will win the fourth Grand Slam in their history (after 1948, 2009 and 2018) in the event of victory, on the last day, against England, in Dublin.
For almost an hour, however, it was not the Ireland of the great days, jostled, harassed by a brawling XV of Thistle in front of his audience. Quickly deprived of three major players by injury – second row Iain Henderson, hooker Dan Sheehan and third row Caelan Doris – Ireland even conceded the first try of the match by Huw Jones, at the end of a long Scottish streak (17th).
Scotland crack in four minutes
With only a point ahead at the break (7-8), this pale green Ireland seemed to mumble a rugby usually so well polished, as was the case against France. But we do not offer the world number one by opposing a simple physical resistance. Too unrealistic, penalized by several errors from Duhan van der Merwe, Scotland missed their chance in the first period, and paid for it in four minutes.
In the 57th minute, the hyperactive Mack Hansen (one try, several balls recovered) caused the second Irish try, concluded by James Lowe after working on the width. Four minutes later, Jack Conan came to bury any hope of rebellion on the other wing (7-20). Clumsy on a final ready-made transmission, James Ryan nevertheless spoiled the offensive bonus point at the end of the match (76th). It would have been the fourth in as many games.
Heckled by Scotland in a first period of high intensity, Ireland regained control at the finish, as often, and Scotland, like all the others, could not go the distance. Still undefeated, Ireland, which decidedly paid dearly for its victory with the stretcher exit of Garry Ringrose at the end of the match, can, more than ever, dream of the Grand Slam. It will be Saturday March 18 (6 p.m. on France 2 and france.tv) against England, humiliated on Saturday by an irresistible XV of France.